diff --git a/backbone.js b/backbone.js
index 4e1a8b4e..a8fbefef 100644
--- a/backbone.js
+++ b/backbone.js
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@
     attributes || (attributes = {});
     if (this.defaults) attributes = _.extend({}, this.defaults, attributes);
     this.attributes = {};
+    this._escapedAttributes = {};
     this.cid = _.uniqueId('c');
     this.set(attributes, {silent : true});
     this._previousAttributes = _.clone(this.attributes);
@@ -147,6 +148,14 @@
       return this.attributes[attr];
     },
 
+    // Get the HTML-escaped value of an attribute.
+    escape : function(attr) {
+      var html;
+      if (html = this._escapedAttributes[attr]) return html;
+      var val = this.attributes[attr];
+      return this._escapedAttributes[attr] = escapeHTML(val == null ? '' : val);
+    },
+
     // Set a hash of model attributes on the object, firing `"change"` unless you
     // choose to silence it.
     set : function(attrs, options) {
@@ -155,7 +164,7 @@
       options || (options = {});
       if (!attrs) return this;
       if (attrs.attributes) attrs = attrs.attributes;
-      var now = this.attributes;
+      var now = this.attributes, escaped = this._escapedAttributes;
 
       // Run validation.
       if (!options.silent && this.validate && !this._performValidation(attrs, options)) return false;
@@ -168,6 +177,7 @@
         var val = attrs[attr];
         if (!_.isEqual(now[attr], val)) {
           now[attr] = val;
+          delete escaped[attr];
           if (!options.silent) {
             this._changed = true;
             this.trigger('change:' + attr, this, val);
@@ -193,6 +203,7 @@
 
       // Remove the attribute.
       delete this.attributes[attr];
+      delete this._escapedAttributes[attr];
       if (!options.silent) {
         this._changed = true;
         this.trigger('change:' + attr, this);
@@ -213,6 +224,7 @@
       if (!options.silent && this.validate && !this._performValidation(validObj, options)) return false;
 
       this.attributes = {};
+      this._escapedAttributes = {};
       if (!options.silent) {
         this._changed = true;
         for (attr in old) {
@@ -981,4 +993,12 @@
     return _.isFunction(object.url) ? object.url() : object.url;
   };
 
+  // Helper function to escape a string for HTML rendering.
+  var escapeHTML = function(string) {
+    return string.replace(/&(?!\w+;)/g, '&')
+                 .replace(/</g, '&lt;')
+                 .replace(/>/g, '&gt;')
+                 .replace(/"/g, '&quot;');
+  };
+
 })();
diff --git a/test/model.js b/test/model.js
index c103b98c..b37b99a5 100644
--- a/test/model.js
+++ b/test/model.js
@@ -94,6 +94,16 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     equals(doc.get('author'), 'Bill Shakespeare');
   });
 
+  test("Model: escape", function() {
+    equals(doc.escape('title'), 'The Tempest');
+    doc.set({audience: 'Bill & Bob'});
+    equals(doc.escape('audience'), 'Bill &amp; Bob');
+    doc.set({audience: 'Tim > Joan'});
+    equals(doc.escape('audience'), 'Tim &gt; Joan');
+    doc.unset('audience');
+    equals(doc.escape('audience'), '');
+  });
+
   test("Model: set and unset", function() {
     attrs = { 'foo': 1, 'bar': 2, 'baz': 3};
     a = new Backbone.Model(attrs);
@@ -151,7 +161,7 @@ $(document).ready(function() {
     model.change();
     equals(model.get('name'), 'Rob');
   });
-  
+
   test("Model: save within change event", function () {
     var model = new Backbone.Model({firstName : "Taylor", lastName: "Swift"});
     model.bind('change', function () {